Windows 7 Windows XP machines not seen on Windows 7 explorer

[Alastair Branson]

Hi .
I dont know if this is in the right place, or whether it is should be in networking, and not been able to see anything relating to this when searching the forum itself.
We have two domains both linked with a trust relationship, one has our windows 7 workstations and the other has a number of Seimens machines running windows xp which are incorporated into the products we sell.
In order to program these siemens machines the programmers use their workstations to remote access the hard drive using the windows explorer software.
The problem is that windows explorer in windows 7 is not showing all of these machines when they open it. even a refresh does not always show the full list of machines.
Help ?


If you need any further information please let me know

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you are facing an issue with Windows Explorer on Windows 7 not displaying all the Siemens machines connected to your network when trying to access them remotely. This can be frustrating, but there are a few troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve this issue:

Troubleshooting Steps to Fix Windows Explorer Not Showing All Machines:​

1. Check Network Connectivity:
   • Ensure that all Siemens machines are powered on and connected to the network.
   • Verify that network settings are correctly configured on both Windows 7 workstations and Siemens machines.
   []Refresh Network Connections:
   • Try refreshing the network connections in Windows Explorer by pressing F5 or right-clicking and selecting "Refresh."
   []Enable Network Discovery:
   • Make sure that Network Discovery is turned on in the Network and Sharing Center:
     • Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center.
     • Click on "Change advanced sharing settings."
     • Ensure that "Turn on network discovery" is selected.
   []Restart Network Services:
   • Restart the "Function Discovery Provider Host" and "Function Discovery Resource Publication" services:
     • Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
     • Locate the services mentioned above, right-click on each, and select "Restart."
   []Check Firewall and Antivirus Settings:
   • Temporarily disable the firewall and antivirus software on both Windows 7 workstations and Siemens machines to see if they are blocking network discovery.
   []Map Network Drive:
   • If the Siemens machines have static IP addresses, try mapping them as network drives:
     • Right-click on "Computer" in Windows Explorer and select "Map network drive."
     • Enter the UNC path (e.g., \machine_name\share) of the Siemens machines.
   []Update Network Drivers:
   • Ensure that network drivers on Windows 7 workstations are up to date. Outdated drivers can sometimes cause network connectivity issues.
2. DNS and WINS Configuration:
   • Check the DNS and WINS settings to ensure correct name resolution for all machines on the network. By following these steps, you should be able to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue with Windows Explorer not showing all the Siemens machines on your network. If the issue persists, please provide more details about your network setup for further assistance.